Skirl: (skûrl) n. A shrill wailing sound

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Somebody's got to lose

All week Maclean’s has been issuing ‘best-of-decade’ lists, focusing only on Canadian content. Best Canadian TV shows, best Canadian movies, and so on. Today was the one I was really waiting for: the best Canadian music of the decade. In true Canadian spirit, it is both indie-focused and very safe.

Arcade Fire – Funeral (2004)

Broken Social Scene – You Forgot It In People (2002)

Black Mountain – Black Mountain (2005)

New Pornographers – Mass Romantic (2000)

Wolf Parade – Apologies To The Queen Mary (2005)

Sarah Harmer – You Were Here (2000)

Tangiers – Hot New Spirits (2003)

Sam Roberts – The Inhuman Condition (2002)

The Constantines – Shine A Light (2003)

Feist – The Reminder (2007)

I don’t see how anyone could argue with #1, and while #2 is probably a widely accepted choice, I am just unable to love BSS the way everyone else seems to. I’m pleased to see the likes of Black Mountain, The New Pornographers, Wolf Parade beat out Sarah Harmer, Sam Roberts and Feist. I do think The Constantines deserved to be higher (and, in truth, it should have been Tournament of Hearts) but all in all that’s a pretty respectable list.

The full article contains the Maclean’s writer collective’s opinions on each album, as well as this piece of begrudging awesomeness:

HONOURABLE MENTION: Nickelback – Silver Side Up (2001)
Yes, it’s stupid arena rock, but they own that stuff. So make fun of them if you want, but they’re way more famous than Arcade Fire will ever be. And they accomplished it with a lead singer sporting a woman’s haircut and a goatee.